


If I never went to Scotland, how different would things be?

by LowlandSassanach



Series: Maisie Hotchner [2]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: F/M, Gay, M/M, Maisie Hotchner, Protective Aaron Hotchner, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-10-04 13:15:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17305265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LowlandSassanach/pseuds/LowlandSassanach
Summary: Maisie Hotchner, on a summer vacation from Virgina Tech, comes upon the standing stones at Craig Na Dun and is excited (her major being ancient civilisations). But she's caught up in the time travelling side of the stones. She then tells everyone she meets she needs to get to America, the only place that feels familiar, she arrives in Wilmington on the Gloriana (same ship as Roger) and eventually is caught up in the Fraser's drama.Part 2 of the Maisie Hotchner series and some events from this appear in and propel the plot of "I need him, you must understand".





	1. The druid stones

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing. Except Maisie.
> 
> You don't have to have read any of "I need him, you must understand" but it helps!

Studying a major of Ancient Civilisation, I was excited when Dad gave me tickets to Scotland. For the uninitiated among you Scotland has one of the most ancient civilisations in the world, and despite being colonised by the English (as they said in Trainspotting "wankers") they've managed to keep their culture largely intact.

As I turn to look at the standing stones I smile. It's no Stonehenge but it's a brilliant set of stones that's just as important to druid rituals. In fact, I think there was one this morning.

Pulling out my phone I take a few selfies. Then I start to hear this faint buzzing noise. Pulling up the video function on my phone I stat to capture what's happening, the wind's picking up and I'm starting to commentate on the buzzing...no, not buzzing. It's too loud now. I can barely hear myself shouting at the camera, trying to be heard over the buzzing...noise...whatever...I stumble back and hit the rock immediately behind me. And everything goes dark.

My eyes open and a second everything is blurry. I still have my phone in my hand but my shawl must have blown off in the high wind. Sitting up I felt my head, something had to have made pass out and I'm willing to bet it was me hitting my head on the standing stone...but I couldn't remember my head colliding with it, just my hand. 

I blinked, this was so weird. Shaking my head I moved to get up. 

Okay, fist thing: this wasn't the place I was before...I mean it was...and then it wasn't. It seemed too green...so I started walking. If I made it to the road I could hitchhike back to town. 

Trouble was everything was so different I couldn't make head nor tail of it. I was soon lost. 

"Oh God help me." I whisper close to tears. I pull out my phone and try to call 999, the Scottish emergency service number, but there was nothing. So I kept walking.

Eventually I came across a dirt road and sit down, if I didn't know where I was there was no point in walking any further. I'd made it to a road so I should sit and wait for someone to come by.

Sure enough about an hour later a man dressed in 18th Century clothes came by: "Ye alright, lass?" It was the strange accent everyone had in this country.

"No. My name is Maisie, Maisie Hotchner. I was up by the standing stones and I suddenly passed out and when I woke up I...was here..." I know it sounds crazy but he nods. 

"I'm Roger MacKenzie. I think I know what might have happened to ye." he smiles and I get the strangest feeling he really does know what happened.

"I have to go home to America." Roger MacKenzie smiles at me.

"Funnily enough, I'm headed to seek passage to America." I latch onto that and beg him to take me with him. So we take passage on a cart headed for Ayr Harbour. 

Little did I know that would only be the start of the weirdness.

 

IN AMERICA 2010

Aaron was at his desk in the station when he got a strange feeling he couldn't shake. Maisie was in danger. 

He decided to call her cellphone, but it went straight to voicemail. He called her hotel. She hadn't been seen in days. Finally, he called the police in Inverness to report her missing. They told him not to worry but he was an FBI agent and they were slow. 

Aaron made a deal with Strauss that if something from America came up they'd come right back. 

And, with that, he took the team to Scotland to assist the police in finding his daughter.

 

ON THE GLORIANA, SOMEWHERE IN THE MID ATLANTIC 1769

I don't normally get seasick but right now, in the middle of the Atlantic, my stomach is turning and I'm not sure why. The captain had assigned me to clean to pay my way to Wilmington, North Carolina. I told him I'd find alternative arraignments to get to Virginia as the closest he was going was Pennsylvania. Bless Roger for talking the captain, a sleaze-ball who went by the name of Stephen Bonnet, into letting me travel. 

After the 12th night aboard the ship Roger talked to me about his reason for going to America; his girlfriend had went there in search of her parents. 

When we were fully alone he asked me: "You know I said I thought I knew what happened to ye?" I nod. Hoping he'll offer an explanation I stay quiet. "well, did ye hear anything before you passed out? A buzzing, or a roaring?" I nod, even more vigorously. "And, finally, did ye come to touch one of the standing stones?" I gasp, he did know. "I'll take that wee gasp as an aye, will I?" I'm in shock but if I wasn't I'd have at least smiled at him. 

"So how did I end up in the 1700s?" I look at him expectantly.

"The stones provide a gateway through time. I came through in the 70s. I'm guessing by your clothing you were later?"

I nod. "Much later. Try 2010." I close my eyes. 

"I was about to suggest you go back through the stones when ye latched onto me going to America." 

I sigh, impulsive Maisie. Well done, now you'e headed to an America you know nothing about and your dad isn't there. Before I can stop them the tears roll down my cheek. Roger takes his kerchief and wipes my eyes. I can barely hear him say there's no need to cry.

WILMINGTON 1769

Disembarking the Gloriana at the docks in Wilmington I look around, I see all sorts of people coming and going (the beginnings of America as a melting pot), before I can walk away Bonnet hands me some coins: "For some lodgings before you make yer way to Virginia." Although it's a kind gesture I can't help but think why has he done it. nevertheless I head for a tavern where I buy a room and have enough left over for a meal. While I'm eating Roger leaves with a redhead, his girlfriend? So I eat and then get prepared to head up to bed. Before I see the redhead return without Roger, maybe they'd had a fight? 

Bonnet is playing cards and he grabs the redhead by the arm and encourages he to blow on the ring he's about to bet, she wants to buy it so he leads her into the back.

First I hear a smack, then a scream. I'm on my feet moving towards the door. Jones, one of the crew, stands up and grabs me. I stat fighting.

"Someone needs to help her, can nobody else hear that? He's hurting her!" I can't stop myself from screaming at that point, someone stops by the door. Thank God, help her. But no, he merely moves her boots. 

After all is said and done she comes out with her nose bloodied and a glazed look in her eye. Jones finally lets me go and I run to her. "Are you okay?" She stares at me blankly as Bonnet holds up the ring, she takes it and moves to go out of the tavern and into her room. I stop her "My name is Maisie Hotchner, I know Roger MacKenzie. I'll be here. I'm staying at the same tavern." She appears not to notice I've even been speaking as she goes upstairs. 

"you're disgusting!" I spit at Bonnet. 

I go upstairs to my bed. Fitful dreams of what happened downstairs occur all night


	2. The morning after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the morning after the night before. Maisie tries to help a distraught Brianna and promises Roger to look after her until he can find her again. So it's of to Fraser's ridge. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Hotch's investigation into Brianna's disappearance takes a strange turn when he also falls through the stones, but who's followed him: Spencer or David?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except Maisie.

In the morning I woke up, the room was flooded with light. I hadn't slept well but I still got up and made my way downstairs in my slip. I saw him walk in: Roger MacKenzie. I considered telling him about what happened to his girlfriend last night but he noticed my slip and ushered me into the back.

"Jesus, Maisie. Comin' down in yer underwear, what were you thinkin'?!" I hadn't been thinking if I were completely honest. "You'll have to go upstairs and get properly dressed. Go on!" I obediently do as he said, but not before I see him discuss something with Bonnet and then be roughly taken from the tavern. 

Fully dressed and fed I turned my mind to the red head for last night, what must be going round her head? I needed to catch up with her. Roger had no idea I had met her but I knew he'd want me to keep an eye on her until he got back, so in my mind I made that promise to him. 

Later that afternoon she emerged from upstairs, I stand up: "Hi." She turned around and looked at me, "I'm Maisie Hotchner I introduced myself last night...you probably don't remember..." she looked me up and down.

"No, I remember. Maisie Hotchner?" I nod. "Brianna Randall...Fraser" she held out a hand and I shook it. "I remember you saying you know Roger too? I don't suppose you know where he's gone off to?" 

I nodded again "he was taken by the crew of the Gloriana. It's how we got here. He had promised them to become crew and I guess they were holding him to that promise." I look at her sympathetically. The captain was the same man who raped her last night, but she didn't need to know that. 

Instead of saying anything she just went out of the tavern. I followed. "Hey, I kind of made a promise to Roger to look after you...Miss Fraser? Brianna!" At that she stopped and looked at me.

"Whatever promise you made to Roger, you don't have to keep it. I can look after myself." she crosses her arms. I press my lips into a line.

"Yeah, I know I don't but the thing is, I kinda have a tendency to keep any promise I make." Okay, so she's stubborn. But so am I! Looks like we have ourselves a good, old fashioned Mexican standoff with stubbornness.

As I'm about to say something to beak this silly stalemate her maid runs up.

"Lizzie, how many do I have to tell you not to run? It's not lady-like." Lizzie, her maid, grins.

"You'll be glad I'm no lady when you hear what I have to say..." The rest of Lizzie's story is about a Scottish man with an English wife who caused a commotion at a play last night. Brianna just recognised them though and runs off. I naturally follow, my word is my bond. 

After asking a proprietor of a store where the tall, red headed Scotsman was she went out the back. 

I watched her meet the man in question; her father, no doubt about it. I grew up around profilers so I knew a bit about spotting certain things like a family connection. She then rolls her eyes when she spots me. "didn't I tell you you don't have to keep your stupid promise to Roger?"

"Yeah, you did. But I'm just as stubborn as you, if not more. And I'm a woman of my word, so I'll look after you until Roger can come back." her father looks at me, amusement dancing in his eyes but I won't be budged on the subject.

"Come, a leannan, be reunited with your mother. Your protector shall also accompany us." I nod. I like this man. 

After she's reunited with her mother I still don't feel the urge to stop protecting her. So, Lizzie, Brianna, myself, and her family all go back to her father's estate on Fraser's ridge. Lizzie has a crush on Ian Murray, Brianna's cousin but I don't think he feels the same way. Jamie and Claire, as I learned were the names of Brianna's parents, smile at me every time I sit close to Ian. What is that about? 

As we arrive at Fraser's ridge I start to cry silently. I miss my dad...I don't want to hurt my new friends by making them think I don't appreciate their hospitality but I can't help it. Ian is the only one who notices. "Dinnae weep, Maisie. What's the matter?" he puts an am over my shoulder and pulls me close, which only makes me cry more. 

"I miss my dad...and my mom...I didn't want to get stuck...it was only supposed to be a vacation." I'm openly sobbing on his shoulder now and he turns to his Aunt and Uncle confused. 

Jamie takes my still sobbing self into the cabin they had to live in. Once inside he and his wife sit across from me. I feel so foolish.

"How long ago did you fall through the stones?" Claire asks me. Of course, she's one too. Like me, Roger, and Brianna. I shrug a little.

"about 2 months ago." I genuinely had lost track of how long it'd been. My phone died in the mid Atlantic Ocean so I had no idea what month this was. 

Jamie looks at me "Once ye've completed yer promise to this Roger we'll buy you passage on another ship and ye'll head back through the stones." I nod my understanding; my dad must have called out all the resources to his hands to find me. 

A MONTH LATER

As I'm walking in the field by the home, Lizzie and Ian rush up the path. Lizzie's obviously distraught at something. Ian runs off.

"Ian..." I try to call after him but he doesn't hear me so I follow him. What I see sickens me. Jamie's giving a man on the ground a pummelling and when he moves I can see the man's face. It's bloody and swollen but it's definitely him.

"Roger!" I scream and come out of my hiding place. Ian tries to hold me back.

"Nay, Maisie. It's nothing less than he deserves lass." 

"No! That's Roger MacKenzie. Brianna's boyfriend." I look between the two of them. "I know who raped Brianna because I was there that night." Jamie's fury turned on me for a second. "I tried to stop him, I tried to help, I couldn't!" I look at Roger's body, was he dead or just unconscious? "It wasn't Roger."

They pull Roger up. "Brianna will confirm it, Lass?" Jamie asked me. I nod. I'm positive Brianna will tell them that's Roger.

We all return home. Roger unconscious on his own horse and me riding on the back of Jamie's holding onto his shirt. He's more like dad than I realise. 

Sure enough, Brianna tells her dad that the man he beat unconscious was Roger and her mom set about healing him. 

This was only to be the start of my adventures at Fraser's ridge mind you, as I heard an all too familiar voice call out my name. "Dad?!" I turned and sure as eggs is eggs, there he was. I reach out and touch him. "H-how? How did you get here? How did you know how to find me?" 

He smiles and pulls me into a hug. "I'm a profiler Maisie. Remember?" he looks serious as he hugs me. 

"Mom?" I ask for a silent explanation. He just looks down. "Dad, is mom okay?" a sickening feeling hits the pit of my stomach, one I'd been trying to ignore for the past month.

"No. She's dead." my knees give way but I find myself held up in my dad's embrace. "but you should know her last thought was of you, you and Jack...she loved you more than life itself." 

I let go, fully sobbing. Jamie and Ian come out and see me crying in a strange man's embrace and come over to check I'm okay. I make introductions before I get a powerful urge to be alone, so I start running and I don't stop until I come to the ridge out by the creek. There I sob and sob until I have no more tears left.

I don't realise I'm not alone until I feel Ian's hand on my shoulder. 

"Maisie, is it seein' yer da again that's brought this on?" He's obviously concerned. I shake my head.

"while I was here my, uh, my mom. She, um, she died..." the tears started afresh and Ian embraced me, gently soothing me and whispering words I didn't understand to me but felt comforted by. 

After I had calmed down Ian then said a short prayer for my mom and crossed himself, ever the dutiful Catholic I smiled to myself.

"Maisie, would you be amenable to my askin' yer faither for his permission to court ye?" I was taken aback by the request. "I won't if ye don't want me to. But I really do like ye and would like to see where this could go if we let it." Well, we are both 21. He is handsome. What the hell.

"You can ask my dad, but if he says no. That's it." Ian nodded.

Let's see where this goes then, Ian Murray. 

 

ANOTHER'S PERSPECTIVE

I watched them from behind the tree. Maisie had been told about her mom then. I wouldn't need to stay hidden any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of see Roger as like an older brother to Maisie. He worries for her and cares too but it's nothing like his love for Bree.


	3. My God, what fresh hell is this?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The voyeur from the last chapter is revealed. Maisie and Ian start to court, which leaves Maisie with a had decision: stay in the 1700s with Ian or go home with her father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except Maisie.

When we got back from the ridge Ian made good on his promise to ask my dad if he could ask me out. Dad said yes. 

Oh God, what does that mean for my life back home? Can Ian come with me? Would he want to? What if I stay? Would dad want to stay? Impulsive Maisie, yet again, I need someone to talk to. As the men are talking I slip away to Claire's surgery. Pushing the door desperately I'm hyperventilating, have I made a huge mistake saying yes to dating Ian? Claire rushes to me and makes me sit down, I can make out the words 'Panic' and 'attack'. Then I feel big hands on my back and a redhead in my view. Brianna and Roger.

"Maisie, what's the matter wi ye?" Roger is very concerned about me, I'm the eldest of two kids but if I had a big brother he'd be Roger.

"Moral dilemma!" was all I managed out before Claire handed me a bag to blow into.

Once I'd actually calmed down I managed to get the whole story out, including the part where I was now dating Ian, we were all time travellers together so I didn't feel the need to hold back. "Now I'm scared. What if it's real between me and Ian and he can't or won't come with me? Am I to leave that all behind? And if I do what's gonna happen to my dad? Will he stay or will he go home? It's all a mess, yet again I'm too impulsive." I sigh and let more tears fall, I can't believe I've cried more today than any other day in my life up until that point.

"You can't answer these questions now. God, I know that well enough." It was Claire who was talking. "You'll cross that bridge when you come to it. Start with being honest with him. About everything." I open my mouth to argue but she continues "He'll take it well. I promise."

I go back into the cabin, Ian rises to his feet and moves to give me his chair. I refuse. "Actually I wanna talk to you. Alone." Ian looks nervously at my dad, I know that in this century he wouldn't be alone with me, especially if my dad was here. But my dad doesn't even look up, I make a noise and my dad looks up. 

"Oh!" He exclaims when he notices Ian staring at him, silently asking permission, "Yeah, just don't go too far." I nod and Ian opens the door. 

As I'm walking I notice Ian lagging behind. "Come on, Ian, keep up." I call jauntily, inside my resolve is being severely tested. Can I tell him everything like Claire advised me to do? 

When we were far out I stopped. "What is it wi ye, lass?" Ian was truly concerned for me, if I wasn't sure of how he felt before I do now. "Ye canna be having second thoughts at this stage, we've only just started out."

"I'm not, having second thoughts that is, I just. I can't let you go into this without knowing everything." He stares at me, his eyes never wavering, I take a couple of steady breaths and continue. "I was born in 1989." his eyes widen and he goes speechless. "I can't explain it, I'm not even sure I understand it myself but. I'm here in 1769, and I don't know if you want someone who's over 200 years younger than you..." he cuts me off with a kiss.

"Maisie, I kent you were special when I met ye. If you say yer from 200 years in the future then I believe ye." he smiles at me. "I still want to court ye." Overcome with emotions I start crying, dammit Maisie can't you hold yourself together? "Dinnae weep, Maisie. It's a good thing ye told me!"

"You don't get it. What you feel for me is real. But what about everything? What about my schooling? I'm in my senior year, what if we get married? What if we have kids? Will you want to come back with me to my time? Will you be able to? What if I don't want to go back? What about my dad? What if he never sees his grandkids? I..."

"Maisie, dinnae fash yersel. We'll cross those bridges when, and if, we come to them." He pulls me close and takes out his kerchief and wipes my eyes. We stay like that for a while, then I hear a twig breaking. Ian hears it too and pulls out the knife he keeps at his neck and moves closer to where the sound came from. He pulls out a man and my eyes go wide.

"Uncle Dave?" Sure enough it's his brown eyes looking up at me. "What are you doing here?"

"Keeping an eye on you!" Was his tart reply. He was doing a very good job of talking with Ian's knife at his throat.

"Ye ken this man , Maisie?" I nod, so does my dad. "Then he comes back wi us. There he can explain to Uncle Jamie why he was sneaking around the boundary."

We get back and my dad stands up "Dave? How did you get here? Actually, never mind, what are you doing here?"

"I'm keeping an eye on our daughter, Aaron! You let her go out on her own with a young man with a knife..."

"He's her boyfriend, Dave. And she needed to explain to him..." My head was swimming. Why had Uncle Dave said 'our daughter'? he surely couldn't be implying what I thought he was. Ian noticed me going pale and made me sit down.

"STOP!" I yelled, Jamie and Murtagh had Dave by the shoulders. "What did you mean, 'our daughter'?" I demanded to know, I felt the tears coming again. Hold it together.

"He didn't mean any..." I put up a hand to stop him, I needed to hear this from Dave, not dad.

"In 1989 your dad and I had an affair, I got pregnant with you." My whole world started spinning. I still refused to let the tears fall.

"And my mom?" My dad was crying now. I hadn't ever seen him cry, not even when he and mom had gotten divorced. "What was her role in all this."

"I signed my rights over to her before you were born. She raised you. I'll be forever grateful to her for that." My stomach tightened, I felt sick. Had my mom watched me growing up, knowing what my dad did? I needed to get out of there.

As soon as the door opens I fall to my knees, and throw up. I can't believe this...not only am I the product of an affair, I was also the result of a male pregnancy...Ian would reject me for sure now. I feel the hands of my dad on my back, I need to be as far away from him as possible. But as I got to my feet he caught me around my waist. "Let me go." I screamed. 

"Nay, Lass. Now is no the time to be alone." It was Jamie's voice. I spin round to face him.

"I don't know what to do...I need to be as far from my father as possible..." Jamie looked at me.

"Ian will be verra worried about ye." He looked down at the pool of my lunch I had just brought up and happened on an idea. "Go and see Claire. Tell her what's happened. Tell her she's not allowed to let in either o them." He gave me a small, sympathetic smile. 

When I got into the Surgery I gasped and told them what had happened. Roger pulled me to him. "Why would Ian want me now? I didn't know anything about this." The tears finally flowed.

They talked to me, Roger told me to give my dad a chance to explain himself. I really didn't want to, I'd just found out I was his bastard daughter. Letting him explain what had happened seemed distasteful to me. But he was right, I needed answers. 

Dave and dad sat side by side when I re-entered, Ian stood and came over to me. "Maisie, lass. Ye alright?" I nodded, my eyes never leaving my dad once. "I was so worried about ye, only after Uncle Jamie said he sent ye to Auntie Claire did I calm down..."

"I think we should talk." Dad said out of nowhere, "I need to explain." I merely nodded and left the cabin again with my dad and another in tow. If it was Dave I'd throttle him, if it was Jamie I'd be grateful to him for looking out for me. 

"You said you'd explain, so explain." my arms folded over my chest as I saw both Jamie and Dave behind dad. Ian was coming up behind them. 

Dad was silent and reached out for me but I moved out of his reach. "Yes, I had an affair that resulted in you. But I raised you. I loved you, so did your mom." Dave scoffed.

"Yeah, you loved her when it suited you..."

"Shut up."

"No! She needs to know what it was like when I told you I was pregnant..."

"Don't you dare tell he that story!"

"What? You afraid of it?"

"If you tell her I swear to God..."

"Enough! I wanna hear this story." I put up a hand when Dave went to tell me. "From you." I pointed to my dad.

"Maise...if I tell you there's no going back for us..." He was fighting them I could tell, but he was tearing up. "Please don't make me..."

"Dad, tell me." He steeled his jaw and stood up straight, his poker face back in full effect.

"I wanted him to get rid of you, before you were born." The rug of the surety of my parents love for me was pulled from under me. My knees buckled, I saw Ian run to me but it was Jamie who caught me. "I was 25, I was married, I had just found out I had made a child out of an affair..."

"Just stick to the facts. Tell me what you meant by 'get rid'" I still didn't want to think he'd ask anyone to do that to their baby.

"Abortion." The word was so quiet that I thought I had misheard. But I heard right, he'd wanted me dead when he first found out I existed. Jamie's arms around my waist kept me from running off but that was all I wanted to do. 

"Go home dad..." I was furious. "Fuck off!" I was hurt and I wanted to hurt him back just as much, "I never want to see you again." he moves towards me so I throw out my trump card, immediately regretting it but unable to take it back I spit out "It should have been you, not mom, that died!" I finally shake off Jamie's arms and stalk away, vaguely aware of Ian following me.

"Ye dinnae mean that Maisie, did ye?" I nod then shake my head, oh God I don't know. I didn't realise I'd picked up some Gaelic until a string of cuss words escape my mouth. Ian takes me in his ams. I feel safe. "He went off after ye said that. He was hurt, Maisie..."

"Good! I don't wanna talk about him. I just want you to hold me." He obliges me and holds me close.

AMERICA 2010

Landing back in Virginia Aaron embraced Spencer, his stomach looking a little rounder owing to the little life growing inside it. "Did you find her?" Spencer asks against his older boyfriend's ear, Aaron just nods.

"She's safe...that's all that matters." he rubbed his boyfriend's pregnant belly, "even if she hates me."

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you..."

"Well I hate me...at least the me I used to be...25 year old me..." Spencer raises an eyebrow, "The way he handled finding out about her made things harder now. He didn't care. All he thought about was him and his life right there and I hate him for it..."

Spencer hugged him back and they went home, Aaron barely sleeping. Wishing he could go back and make things right with Maisie.


	4. Mamma Mia, here I go again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maisie and the Frasers sit and talk. Later on she's singing songs from the musical "Mamma Mia" and Jamie asks her about it. Maisie does her best to explain the plot of the musical and the band that the songs originated from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.

Dave hung around under the guise of getting to know me. I didn't want to get to know him. "Go home, Dave. I don't want you here." He looked hurt, good, he'd hurt me by coming here in the first place. 

Roger and Brianna joined us for dinner, they had been holed up in Claire's surgery ever since we had found Roger, and they smiled at me. I suppose they were trying to cheer me up but I had just found out my mom wasn't my mom and that she had died, so they'd have to forgive me for taking a while to come to terms with it. 

Ian sat at my side, Murtagh across from me, I couldn't help but feel like they were both waiting for me to lose my mind. I suppose I had all the factors for stress. 

The talk was a little mundane for me. Then Ian turned to me, "D'ye want to tell us about yer mam, lass?" They all stared at me and I shook my head. Ian looked to his Uncle who shook his head. The rest of the meal passes without anyone asking me about mom again.

Later on, while I'm washing dishes, I'm remembering when mom took me to see Mamma Mia live for my 21st birthday. I start to sing softly  "The gods may throw a dice, their minds as cold as ice, and someone way down here loses someone dear..."

"Aye," I jump a little. "the gods can be cruel." It's Jamie. I let out my breath. "Lovely melody lass, did ye come up with it?"

"No, it's from a musical called Mamma Mia. My mom took me to the theatre to see it for my 21st birthday." She smiled slightly. "The plot is a little confusing though."

Ian and the rest of the clan turned to me, I sat down smiling. "Okay, so Sophie is getting married. She lives with her mom on a Greek island. She wants her father there, but the problem is she's been raised by her single mother all her life, she doesn't know who he is, but she's found her mother's diary and has found three men it could possibly be..." Ian's eyes went wide.

"Three potential fathers?!"

I nod. "Not at the same time but around the same summer. Anyway, Sophie invites the three of them and they turn up on the island the day before the wedding. Sophie can't figure out who is her father but all three of them figure out they're potential fathers and all three want to step up and be fathers." Jamie grins, he likes this premise already, "So Sophie's mom is reminiscing about her younger years with Sophie as she prepares her for the wedding, there's even a song about it called 'slipping through my fingers', it's a beautiful scene where she sings about things like watching her go to school, and where has the time gone? Cause, in the song, she says that everytime she blinks Sophie's growing." Brianna and Claire grin at each other. "Anyway, the day of the wedding arrives and Sophie doesn't get married..." I breathe out a laugh at all the confused faces. "She actually decides to travel with her fiance before getting married, but there's still a wedding. Between Donna, aka Sophie's mom, and Sam, aka one of Sophie's potential fathers." I smile at them. "And that's Mamma Mia." I shrug. "It works better when you see it played out in front of you."

"Nah, it sounds complicated but a happy ending as the mam and da get married." Ian takes my hand, what is he planning? He better not be planning on asking me to marry him, we've been dating for a day...I'm impulsive but not that impulsive.

"Yeah, and during that summer Donna and Sam were the two that were more than a fling, if he hadn't gone back to London they've been married and raised Sophie together. The moral is also about missed opportunities." Jamie looks at Brianna sadly and then at Claire longingly. 

I cuddled into Ian and he kissed the top of my head. Maybe one day we'll see it together. 

"I'm really tired." I stand up to go to my cabin and then Ian jumps up and escorts me back. "Thank you, Ian, but you didn't have to do tha..." he cuts me off with a kiss.

"Maisie, when I walk ye home or something like this, then let me." he smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back. "I'm gonna write to my mother and tell her about ye. I dare say she'll want tae meet ye. Might need a holiday to Scotland after this." I giggled and kissed him again. "Goodnight, Maisie."

"Good night, Ian. I'll see you in the morning." And with that, I head inside and fall asleep, dreaming of meeting Ian's mom.


End file.
